The software developer's kit for version two of Google's Android platform is now available, with handsets coming soon, but upgrades for existing users less certain.
Verizon are expected to launch an Android 2.0 handset imminently, and Samsung took the opportunity of the Symbian show to flash new Android handsets at selected …

COMMENTS

A seriously BAD move.

***"The software developer's kit for version two of Google's Android platform is now available, with handsets coming soon, but upgrades for existing users less certain."***

If existing Android handsets are "cast adrift" and won't be offered updates it will badly impact the platform's appeal. Many owners of 1.x Android phones bought them with the tacit understanding that the platform's deficiencies (Bluetooth, lack of multi-touch, etc) would be remedied in later releases. If those releases are not rolled out to G1, Magic, Hero, etc then it will certainly put off owners of those phones from getting another Android device.

I suppose the handset manufacturers might take the short-sighted view that this might encourage people to physically "upgrade" to a 2.0 phone and will have to learn the hard way that kicking customers in the teeth isn't a good way to gain brand loyalty.

Given that I can't change my Magic for another 12 months, the failure of HTC / Vodafone to roll out Android 2.0 to me will merely result in me rooting (with 2.0) my phone and moving to another manufacturer / network when my contract expires.

Agree with the above

not looking forward to getting kicked in the teeth

I just got my Android handset *yesterday*, having switched from Blackberry. One of the things I *didn't* like about RIM was that old phones can't upgrade to their latest OS, which is even less forgivable given that RIM controls the OS and the hardware.

But if that's how they're going to play Android, then my next "upgrade" may be to a different OS. Crossing my fingers ...

I like(d) the idea of Android...

I liked the idea of Symbian, single OS multiple phone manufacturers, more choice in phones and apps.

But now its going crazy, not that Nokia is helping it.

I like the idea of Android, single OS, multiple platforms, looks nice, easy to develop for... but it seems that the OS versions are going to cause issues, we all know how phone manufacterers hardly release updates for the phones, are we going to be able to update a 1.6 phone to 2.0 even with the manufacturers mods on it?

Android made a mistake to allow manufacturers to mod them, they should have just made the OS standard across all, and just let the manufacturers add any additionals on as applications, themes and all that.

@Eponymous Cowherd

It's well easy to put a different ROM on your phone - I could put the HTC sense on the magic if I fancied it (which I don't).

I'm more than sure that once 2.0 is out, someone will backport the 2.0 ROM.

Anyway - Vodafone/HTC to not control upgrades for "with google" phones such as the magic/g1, therefore it is up to google to push the upgrade - which I'm more than sure they will - the reference to upgrades of existing is probably related to custom builds, such as the sense interface.

What would Jesus have done?

Agreed

I think people just need to chill and see what happens. The Donut update is still being push out to handsets as we speak, it would be foolish to expect the Eclair update to be rolled out just a week/month later.

Give them some time or root. If you haven't got Eclair when 2.x comes out, then start complaining.

Take a deep breath...

How did "upgrades for existing users less certain" -- a statement of the reporter's ignorance (not his fault, it's just that no one had made definitive announcements yet) get turned into "BAD move", and existing handsets being "cast adrift"? You're not going ALL CAPS on us, are you?

exchange compatible...

droid

Just got 1.6 on Saturday, 2.0 is still a bit of a way off. Hopefully Google will push the updates to us too. Judging from recent events in NZ, Google have a lot more sway with their branded phones than the carrier does. The Sony Ericsson which is to run 2.0 looks pretty awesome. I would've waited but I was phoneless at the time...

Best quote from the above comments is...

"I think people just need to chill and see what happens."

HTC announced yesterday that the Hero would be getting an Android 2.0 update as soon as they tweak Sense. No indication when that will be but I'm guessing they wouldn't announce it if it weren't imminent.

I'm a happy boy, having an unbranded Hero on the Orange network. Those who got locked into the network ROM version can root or just wait for their network to get the finger out - wonder how long that will take?